November 7, 2017

#86: Do Progressives Take Communities of Color for Granted?

In this special collaborative episode with Thinking Cap, the podcast from the Center for American Progress, we ask progressives, “What have you done for us lately?” Should progressives be doing more to reach out and specifically appeal to comm…

October 31, 2017

#85: Mueller Drops the First Hammer

Paul Manafort indicted, Rick Gates indicted, and George Papadopoulos pleads guilty to lying to the FBI. What does this mean for the Trump administration? And what comes next?   Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela lead a discussion on…

October 24, 2017

#84: Undocumented and Unafraid (Live Show at NYU)

In this special live show recorded at New York University, Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela lead a discussion on DACA, the DREAM Act, and the future for undocumented immigrants with Cristina Jiménez, Executive Director of United W…

October 17, 2017

#83: Puerto Rico, 28 Days Later

It’s been four weeks since Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, and the island is still in crisis. 82% of the island is still without power and 35% is still without clean water. Host Julio Ricardo Varela checks in with two reporters w…

October 9, 2017

#82: Indigenous Peoples Day

Across the U.S., cities and states are starting to call the second Monday in October Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day. Los Angeles just officially changed the name, following in the footsteps of Minneapolis, Seattle, Alaska, and …

October 6, 2017

BONUS: Puerto Rico After the Storm

In The Thick brings you a special bonus episode from our sister podcast, Latino USA, checking in on Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. In The Thick co-host Julio Ricardo Varela has been intensely reporting on the hurricane, so he sat down with…

October 3, 2017

#81: They’re Watching Us

With all the news of the past week, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the hack of Equifax released sensitive data of almost 150 million people. And in today’s social media-obsessed world, it’s easy to forget that information can be found, pa…

September 26, 2017

#80: Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Future of Latino Activism

The worst hurricane in almost a century leaves Puerto Rico devastated. A series of earthquakes hits Mexico City. A new travel ban, and an NFL protest. Plus, an in depth discussion on the future of Latino activism with Janet Murguia, President …

September 19, 2017

#79: Anti-Semitism Is the Core of White Nationalism

It’s not just Charlottesville. Public acts of anti-Semitism are on the rise across the country, and they’re directly linked to the rise in white nationalism. In order to understand the threat posed by white nationalism, we need to examine its …

September 12, 2017

#78: It’s Not Activism, It’s Journalism

Joy Reid, the host of AM Joy on MSNBC, has been called biased or even activist, but in the age of Trump, what do terms like that really mean? And do journalists of color have unique responsibilities to stand up right now?   Hosts Maria Hinojos…

September 5, 2017

#77: The End of DACA

On Tuesday morning, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the end of DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. No new DACA applications will be accepted, current DACA holders have one month to renew (under certain circumstances), and ov…

August 28, 2017

#76: Margaret Cho Solves Racism

Last week, the Arizona GOP used a picture of Margaret Cho and the cast from her 90’s TV show “All-American Girl” on its website, with the caption, “Asian Americans.” Let’s just say Cho wasn’t exactly happy about it, saying of the GOP, “They de…

August 22, 2017

#75: White Supremacy Is an American Value

After Charlottesville, many have said something along the lines of, “This is un-American,” or “This isn’t what this country is all about.” But White Supremacy isn’t just a fringe movement. It’s a founding principle of the U.S. Host Julio Ricar…

August 15, 2017

#41: Undercover With White Supremacists

After this weekend’s violence at a white nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, In The Thick takes a look back at an episode we originally published in December, 2016. In this episode, hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela t…

August 8, 2017

#74: The Inner Workings of MS-13

MS-13, the Los Angeles-founded international gang, is all over the news. But why is President Trump drawing attention to MS-13 now? And what is it really like on the inside?

Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela lead a discussion with…

August 1, 2017

#73: The Naivete of Hope

 

In this chaotic political moment, where does hope fit in? Should we be optimistic about our country’s possibilities for improvement? And does how you view the country depend on whether you’re POC?

Hosts Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Var…

July 25, 2017

#72: Will the Real Democrats Please Stand Up?

Under the Trump presidency, the Democrats have found themselves in a moment of truth. Will they embrace the populist wing led by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren? Or will they finally begin to represent their true, core base—communities of …

July 18, 2017

#71: The Venezuelephant in the Room

Almost 100 people have died in near-daily protests against the Venezuelan government over the last few months. Still, in the U.S. we’re only hearing a trickle of news, and when we do, the narratives are often overly simplistic.   Hosts Maria H…

July 11, 2017

#70: Nobody Puts Donald in a Corner

With his first major appearance alongside the most powerful world leaders at the G-20, how did President Trump do? How do other countries see the U.S. now that Trump is the president? And does “America First,” really just mean “whiteness first…

July 3, 2017

#69: ITT Live: Immigrants, Crime, and the Culture War

How did immigration become about national security when the facts don’t back up this connection? And how do you respond to these accusations when the conversation isn’t about what’s true? When it’s about something deeper?

In this live recordi…

June 27, 2017

#68: Fear Itself

Based on President Trump’s rhetoric with the wall and the Muslim ban, you would think that terrorism is a huge safety issue for the U.S. But how much of a danger does it really pose? Americans are much more scared of terrorism than they should…

June 20, 2017

#67: Suspect Is a White Male

After the Virginia shooting, the media was quick to humanize the shooter, who was a white, male, Bernie supporter. Obviously, this isn’t how it always goes down.

So, when is violence just about the action, and when is it about the identity of…

June 13, 2017

#66: Can Puerto Rico Beat the System?

Puerto Rico voted overwhelmingly for Statehood on Sunday, but with only 23% turnout. Many Puerto Ricans boycotted the vote because they continue to be overlooked by the U.S. government. So, what’s the best way forward? Working within the syste…

June 8, 2017

ITT FYI: The Comey Hearing

Former FBI Director James Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee Thursday morning, and we couldn’t wait until our normal Tuesday drop date. For this In The Thick FYI, Maria and Julio called up Tarini Parti, Capitol Hill repor…

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